The Internet, also referred to as an “internetwork”, is a set of computer networks, possibly dissimilar, joined together by means of gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from the sending network to the protocols used by the receiving network (with packets if necessary). When capitalized, the term “Internet” refers to the collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols.
The Internet has become a cultural fixture as a source of information, entertainment, and communications. Many businesses are creating Internet sites as an integral part of their marketing efforts, informing consumers of the products or services offered by the business or providing other information seeking to engender brand loyalty. Many federal, state, and local government agencies are also employing Internet sites for informational purposes, particularly agencies which must interact with virtually all segments of society such as the Internal Revenue Service and secretaries of state. Providing informational guides and/or searchable databases of online public records may reduce operating costs. Further, the Internet is becoming increasingly popular as a medium for commercial transactions.
In addition to being a source of information, the Internet also provides a communications medium. The Internet has become the most popular computer network used by consumers and businesses to send and receive electronic mail, also referred to as “e-mail”. The Internet allows users to readily send and receive e-mail to and from computers around the world. Each user typically has a unique Internet e-mail address (e.g., steve@ibm.com). A user with an e-mail account and a computer capable of connecting to the Internet can easily send and receive e-mail over the network.
E-mail allows a person to quickly and easily send textual messages and other information, such as, for example, pictures, sound recordings, and formatted documents electronically to other e-mail users anywhere in the world. An e-mail user will typically create a message using an e-mail program running on a computer connected to a computer network through a modem. The message will include an e-mail “address” for the intended recipient. When the user has finished entering the message, the user may “send” the message to the intended recipient. The e-mail program then electronically transmits the message over the computer network. The recipient, using an e-mail program running on the recipient's computer, can then “receive” the message.
When receiving messages, the messages are typically placed in an “inbox” from which the recipient can view the messages. Additionally, some e-mail programs allow a user to set up rules for intercepting messages intended for them and acting upon the message via a “mail” rule. For example, a user may set up a rule to direct any mail received from a particular sender to be automatically placed into a particular folder. Many e-mail programs allow the users to define rules to perform actions on incoming messages. For example, the rule may perform a selected action based on the content of a mail header or the specific content of the message. In another example, the user may direct any mail received containing a selected phrase in the body of a message to be automatically deleted. Currently available e-mail programs provide a user interface for the user to compose rules for use in filtering and processing messages. These interfaces are sometimes confusing and complicated for users. Currently, the rules are typically created manually through a dialog or series of dialogs in which a user defines the rule, what conditions must be present for the rule to take effect, and the resulting action. As a result, some users do not use rules to filter and process messages.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for creating rules used in processing incoming messages.